Wii U release date and pricing leaked

We may have learned the price tag and release date of Nintendo's forthcoming Wii U games console, if a recent leak from a top distributor is to be believed.

November 11 and $249.99 are the magic numbers. The information was taken from the intranet of Video Product Distributors, which is a major wholesale distribution company known for its work with Amazon.

Apparently the Nintendo Wii U console will come in three bundles, starting with the aforementioned $249.99 package and incorporating moving on to $299.99 and $349.99 varieties. There's no indicator of what these bundles will incorporate, but we'd bet the $349.99 at least will include a second Wii U controller.

It's interesting to note that the Wii launched for the exact same entry price back in 2006. If this holds true, then we can probably expect to pay the same UK prices of £179.

The Wii U's unique selling point will be its tablet-like controller, which will allow you to use it as a second screen for additional information, or to stream Wii U gameplay to it when your TV is otherwise occupied. It'll also facilitate the kind of simple touch-driven casual games that have proved such a hit on the iPad (and of course the Nintendo DS before it).

The Wii U console itself is rumoured to be at a similar power level to the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, and will feature a much more fleshed out online offering than the Wii managed to offer.

It looks as if once again Nintendo will have the edge on its competitors when it comes to pricing. All will be revealed on September 13, when Nintendo will put on a special Wii U launch event in New York.